Name Dropping
by The-Algebraist
Summary: Anko wants active ANBU duty. They want Jounin only. It's only a short jump from Special Jounin to Jounin. She knows the perfect person to help.
1. Equalibrium

**Equilibrium**

I reached the door and stopped for a moment. Was it always this dark? Or had it been painted recently? I shook my head, realising it was just another stall. I'd made my mind up already and he was easily the best person for the job.

"Hi, I've got a proposition for you!"

Nah. Too kinky.

"Hey, I need a favour."

Nah. Too personal, last time we were in the same room, I think I hit him.

"Hatake-san, can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Sure,"

Behind the whole time. Stupid, had I been thinking out loud? Teeth pressed tightly together I turned to face him. The sun in my eyes caused me squint a bit, but he was there. Squatting on the railing, above the balcony, as always.

"You know, you're not helping." I pointed out, forgetting for a moment that I hadn't gotten round to explaining why I was there. I couldn't sense a ninja, that was returning home,and not putting too much effort into concealing themselves. Who was I trying to kid, I want to be Jonin?

"Don't feel too bad," he patronised me. The sound of feet patting on the ground as he hoped down from the railing was conspicuously absent. "Most people fail to notice me." He finished. Had he guessed my mind so easily?

My eyes scanned him. Tension in the body was spread perfectly; even in simply walking he wasted no effort and no energy. This ninja had a constant equilibrium. Relaxed but storing tension, to the point where he can be perfectly comfortable and highly responsive. It's hard not to be impressed.

Believe me.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" The door opened with a loud creak that I'm sure is a simple, and intended, alarm. His hand popped into the air and beckoned me inside without looking back. I followed.

I explained.

He nodded.

"The gap from Special Jonin to Jonin is not as big as say, Chunin to Jonin. That's a gap that most never make. You shouldn't need me to help you, Anko-san." It was slightly strange to see Hatake-san sitting. It was one of many normal he neglected to do.

"I feel like I've hit a wall, get me?" I frowned in earnest as I searched for a better way to convey it. "I feel like my exertions during training have become just that, exertions; like I'm getting no benefit from them anymore, only tiring myself out so that I can recover and train more. It's like my skills have become stagnant. Unchanging. "

It was the best he was going to get, because I had nothing else. Something must have made sense, because he nodded.

"You think that I can break whatever it is blocking your path?" He raised his eye brow at me and gave me a curious look. This was the modesty coming out.

"I want to go beyond where I am right now. I've applied for active ANBU duty," he cocked his head but I continued. "They told me they'll take me if I make Jonin. Exam or appointed they don't care. "

Hatake-san leaned forward in his seat and looked at me. With his visible eye he gave me a once over. I'd have hit him for that, any other time.

"Interesting." He intoned. "But why me?"

"Kakashi, come on. It's not like we don't notice. You're good. Besides, I've got a few...friends? We'll call them friends. They dropped your name a few times. Sempai's the best, they say."

The copy ninja laughed, loudly. Then he settled back to looking at me, his eyes fixed on mine, shining happily.

"You're sleeping with Tenzo?" he enquired.

"Maybe, you're just jealous," I mocked.

"You wish."

I did.


	2. Of Preparation and Expectation

**Of Preparation and Expectation.**

With training due to start later that day it was easy to see why I was unsettled. Jonin aren't the be all and end all of ninja, and I, a special Jounin was a grade below them. Neither liked the idea of having someone as sensei again, Hokage-sama excluded of course.

The prospect of training intensifying at someone else's rate, moving on when they wanted to and not having full control over my own grown brought back memories of my time as a student. _Orochi_, I thought bitterly. _You got the end you deserved_.

Life needed to change every once in a while, and as I turned out from the alley and began to follow the river down to a nice quite spot, I reminded myself that Hatake-san was my key. ANBU duty was sure to be tough, but it would allow me to feel useful again. The exam had become hollow.

The river flowed in a lazy sway through Konoha, running in an arc from the north east and ending in a beautiful pool in the south west. If one was so inclined, the lake allowed for a quiet get away. I was so inclined. A short water walk took me across and round to a small island of rock and dirt that couldn't be reach other than this way.

Even in a village full of ninja catching a glimpse of a ninja, especially one as unapproachable as me, casually strolling out across the surface of a lake was something I don't think the villagers were likely to get used to. I needed quiet to prepare for the days training, and this was my answer. They could deal.

After a few steps onto the compacted dirt something cool, almost cold, pressed against my neck at a strange angle. The cold steel made me shiver part pleasure and part excitement.

"Don't move,"

I considered the command for a moment before twisting outward and reaching for my weapon pouch. There was a soft ripping sound and I found myself facing the lake with my hand pressed against my leg.

The sandy colour of my pouch dangled just to the left of my head, I was prevented from turning my head, to see it fully, by the steel against that side of my neck. The evasive movement I'd just performed left me even closer to the water and it was swashing against my boots.

"It's over,"

_From the very start_, I cursed herself. The kunai was withdrawn and the pouch dropped into my hands. I turned to face my attacker; Kakashi met my scowl with an almost blank look. The Jounin, absent-mindedly returned his kunai to his own pouch.

My intensions to speak were superseded by Kakashi vanishing. _Shunshin_ was a jutsu that the better Chunin and all Jonin could do. It's a form of fast travel that takes up a fairly large amount of chakra, so is restricted to short distances. The ninja uses chakra to enhance their muscles and reflexes.

Most ninja use something to cover their tracks if it's being used as an exit. Leaf nin used smoke and leaves. In combat however it simply looked like the ninja would vanish or appear. Movement so fast it was hard to track.

The only way to reach this island was across that water. It was under an overhang so it could not be dropped down to.

"Hatake can _shunshin_ that far? Not good."

"Hatake!"

The door to the Jounin's apartment was already open, so I took the opportunity to barge right on in. A flick of my wrist sent a star across the room in his direction; annoyingly he caught it on a finger. Kakashi vaulted from the back of his sofa to the front and half turned as he did.

Having correctly surmised that that I would _shunshin_ behind him as the star was blocked, the copy ninja was in a prime position to defend. He gave me a few body slips and parried my attacks. Eventually I overextended myself and noted with frustration that Hatake had a grip of my wrist and elbow.

A slight twist caused enough pressure in my arm to drive me to the ground, with the weight of that loafer pressing down on my back.

"Get off of me Hatake. Now!" I writhed useless under the combined advantage of my arm as leverage, and his position afforded him.

"This morning, at the lake, was pathetic." He gave my wrist the gentlest of tweaks to emphasise his point. "You couldn't have expected me, which meant you couldn't defend against me. Do you know why?"

"Because you're better than me?" I barked, resuming my vigorous writhing.

"Not the reason I had in mind." He replied, sound a little bemused, "You expected to be meeting me around now. You ruled me out. A Jounin must never lower their guard, home village or not. An arranged meeting is not a guaranteed one."

He finally let go of my arm and stood up. I climbed to my feet, grimacing in pain and knitted my fingers against my sprained shoulder. I scowled at him again.

"How am I-" I began.

"Supposed to know?" Kakashi finished, "from now on I want you to expect me at any time. Day or night, mission or not, I want you to expect me when you're shopping, when you're sleeping, when you're eating, alone or not, meeting with the Hokage or when you're bathing."

Taken a back I raised my eye brows, still I couldn't take the smile off my face.

"You wouldn't..." I breathed. Admittedly, a little excited by the prospect.

"Would it be the first time?" he asked, "Training ground three. Come prepared, Anko-san." Eye smiling at me, Kakashi Hatake vanished.

Again.

**A/N: I won't make any excuses for this chapter. It is a basic method of establishing the level of awareness Anko will need. Also to build on a few possible events later. **


	3. Ego Denting Jutsu

When I arrived at the training ground, on time and ready to go, I was momentarily disappointed to find that it was empty. Hatake was nowhere to be seen. Instantly I drew a kunai and crouched, _but that doesn't mean he's not around_, I thought bitterly – his warning still fresh in my head.

The moment passed and was replace by mild embarrassment as I caught a glimpse of a figure out _on_ the water, one hand supporting its entire weight as it was pressed up and down repeatedly. The ninja, whom I had bullied into being my tutor, was doing his morning workout. On the surface of the pond.

Water sloshed softly under my chakra aided step as I walked out across the water. Once I was in earshot of Kakashi he put all his weight on one hand and lifted both his feet. With a single exertion he arced through the air and landed casually in front of me.

I took a step closer and raised my eyes to his visible one. "Good morning, Hatake-san."

"Today we are going to have a day on the pond." Kakashi gestured absentmindedly with a wet hand – the one not in his pocket at the moment.

"Ish there a reason behind that?" I asked, and tore the last strip from dango. I licked it clean of debris and sucked the stick for the last of the juices. Satisfied it was of no further use, I tossed it at the shore.

"Sure is." He intoned, oblivious.

Kakashi waved his hand to shake off as much of the moisture as he could before replacing the glove on his push up hand. I just stood there silent waiting for some sort of elaboration, instead of speaking Kakashi blurred through a series of hand signs.

_Earth Style: Earth Dome Jutsu, I_ noted.

A few meters away from us the tip of an earthy dome broke the surface of the water, a meter above the surface at its highest point. Kakashi admired his make shift island and slung his rucksack towards it.

Naturally I made to follow the bag, and took a few steps towards the island. I was stopped by Kakashi. Distracted and not prepared I nearly failed to dodge the first kick.

"If you step on land, you're out. Permanently." Kakashi warned. His words came between a series of awkward attacks.

Purple hair waving in front of my face, I quickly realised that he was constantly pressing me towards land, be it the banks of the pond or the make shift island that was now holding the rucksack.

It was obvious that there was no limit to the amount of force I could use to defend myself. Silver hair blurred here and there as I was attack with all vigour. I noted how he attacked with a kind of passion present in vengeful lovers. Kakashi and I lacked that blissful history, though.

My Kunai never connected with their target and in truth did not even provide the security of a decent distraction. Although there had been no distracting tactics applied against me, other than self inflicted day dreaming, I remained watchful all the same. _This is Kakashi,_ after all.

As we rallied back and forth in a display of more-than-effective taijutsu, it donned on me that Kakashi was, to my dismay, actually getting faster. As much as I could between the unusually extravagant blows, I studied him. There was no extra sign of exertion.

Every few volleys back and forth a gloved hand or wet sandal would collide with me - gentle enough not to knock me out but still hard enough to hurt. Annoyed that he was being cocky enough to speed up I funnelled that frustration into a strong defence.

The pond was alive with ripples and splashes and we continued to cart wheel and flip, dodge and parry. Each hand or foot that came into contact with the water caused a slight splash and a series of outward ripples.

"Try not to over exert yourself." Kakashi said. There was no mocking or sarcasm in his voice. "You've lost this fight already, the second you got angry and pushed harder."

Kakashi vanished. I tripped and fell into the water. Something gripped at my jacket and hauled me above the surface. I steadied myself again. Scowling furiously at Kakashi I patted myself down and sulked.

"What just happened?" His hands had returned to his pockets, his usual slouch showed no heaving chest or sign of tiredness.

"I fell" I barked. Not bothering to look around me, I took my jacket off. Save for the jacket, my chest had nothing covering it. The fishnet provided minimal heat during exertions, but no actual coverage.

Kakashi didn't even flinch. Either he found me completely unattractive or he was completely unreadable. He simply couldn't be gay. Could he?

"But where?" the jonin asked.

I huffed. Satisfied that I had dried the coat off enough I spun it back on and growled.

"I fell _in to_ the water. Not _on to_ it."

"Well done, but what does that show?"

"My concentration broke," I hissed half heartedly.

Partly I was annoyed at myself but mostly I was infuriated by the fact that I knew Kakashi was about to tell me I had missed something.

"Anko," Kakashi started. "Chakra control is one of the things that set a Jonin apart from the lower ranks. The act of walking on water requires a good bit of control. The act of fighting on water requires a superior amount of control. For someone at your level it should be easy."

"It is easy!" I spat, my defensive personality flaring to the foreground.

"For someone of my level, Anko, it's second nature." He finished.

I was silent. Obviously, I had fallen through the water because I'd been too distracted to adjust my chakra grip; that I'd figured out. It was too obvious for Kakashi; he must have been alluding to something else. That is when it hit me.

"This whole thing was a set up, Hatake?"

Nod.

"You pushed me to the edge, but not because you wanted me out. You just wanted to me to think that."

Nod.

"There is no need for you to press me with flamboyant taijutsu. You could pummel me with basic attacks and better positioning. But you knew I'd have to think ahead if I wanted to stay in the game, huh?"

Nod.

"You never sped up." she thought out loud, frustration filtering into her voice. "I was slowing down?"

"You were _thinking_ so much that staying on the water became a conscious effort. The second you got angry you left your self open to be distracted. The control required for ANBU could have you sleeping on your ceiling."

I fingered the pocket of my coat out of habit.

Kakashi's level of control allowed him to pull more jutsu from his Chakra than any other Jonin she could think of. It allowed him to waste less chakra and fight for longer. His body was kept alert and responsive by the spare chakra he accumulated.

It was automatic for him.

When I develop that kind of edge, I might be ready.


End file.
